Type-holder element for {37 on-the-fly{38 {11 printing machine

ABSTRACT

For employment in an on-the-fly printer wherein printing is accomplished by selectively actuating print hammers aligned along a print line to drive a print-receiving member against opposing type elements, a type-carrying member wherein type elements are mounted on individual resilient tongues of a moving endless belt for travel along a print line and wherein vibration arresting means is provided to suppress vibration of the type-carrying tongues in the plane of the print line.

United States Patent [191 Torrens et al.

[1 1 1 3,760,719 [451 Sept. 25, 1973 TYPE-HOLDER ELEMENT FOR ON-TI-IE-FLY PRINTING MACHINE [75] Inventors: Christian Torrens, Danjoutin;

Jacques RolandDeproux, Sevres; Michel Picard, Belfort, all of France [73] Assignee: Societe Industrielle Honeywell Bull (Societe anonyme Paris, France [22] Filed: NOV. 9, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 197,097

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 10, 1970 France 7040372 [52] US. Cl. 101/111 [51] B41] U211 [58 Field of Search 101/111, 93 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Drejza et al. 101/111 3,605,613 9/1971 De Duy et al. l0l/l ll 3,133,497 5/1964 Martin 101/1 11 X 2,936,704 5/1960 Hense 101/93 C 3,636,868 l/l972 Johnston et a1 101/93 C 3,444,975 5/ 1969 Simshauser 101/93 C X 3,216,348 Oldenburg et al. 101/93 C Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-E. M. Coven Attorney-Ronald T. Reiling et al.

[57] ABSTRACT For employment in an on-the-fly printer wherein printing is accomplished by selectively actuating print hammers aligned along a print line to drive a print-receiving member against opposing type elements, a typecarrying member wherein type elements are mounted on individual resilient tongues of a moving endless belt for travel along a print line and wherein vibration arresting means is provided to suppress vibration of the type-carrying tongues in the plane of the print line.

13 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEB SEP25 I973 SHEET 2 OF 3 PATENIEDSEPZSIBH 3,760,719

sum 3 or 3 TYPE-HOLDER ELEMENT FOR ON-TI-IE-FLY PRINTING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in printing type supporting members of the kind provided in the form of an endless belt having elastic type-carrying tongues. One such printing type supporting member has been described particularly in the Fench patent application P.V. l74,294, filed Nov. 19, 1968, and the corresponding US. patent application 7 Ser. No. 876,913, filed Nov. 14, I969, by R. J. Migoux for Endless Type Support Band For Movable-Type Printing Machine.

When a steel endless type-carrying belt is employed by being stretched over two pulleys, it must pass in front of a fixed platen, or anvil, parallel to the printing positions of a print line with a maximum constant velocity determined by the number of characters to be printed per second as provided by the specifications of the printer.

The optimal shape and dimensions of'each typecarrying tongue have been determined so that when a type element at the end of a tongue receives the impact of a print hammer through the intermediary of at least one web of paper and an inking ribbon, such tongue deforms to enable the struck type element to remain opposite a printing position for the duration of the impact of the hammer. As soon as such type element is released, the associated tongue begins to vibrate in its plane at its fundamental period of resonance, which is not necessarily the same for all the tongues.

Because a particular type element can be struck when it passes in front of a printing position N and again when it passes next in front of the following position N-l-l, the striking period for a type element may be very short. It is apparent that under these conditions, in order to obtain correct spacing for all of the printed characters, it is absolutely necessary to halt the vibration of each type-carrying tonguein an interval less than the minimum striking period.

This damping problem is further accentuated when, having determined the velocity with which the typecarrying belt is to pass along the print line, it is desired to employ striking mechanisms which are less costly but relatively slow. With such striking mechanisms, the impact of the hammer might last an appreciable fraction of the minimum striking period, for example 100 microseconds. This results in two unfavorable factors. On one hand, the amplitude of deflection of the struck tongue increases in proportion to the arrest time of the type element and on the other hand, the increased impact duration correspondingly reduces the interval available for damping the vibration before the next po-' tential impact.

Pursuant to the above-mentioned patent applications, a damping means for the type-carrying tongues, which consists of an elastomer strip fastened to the tongues toward their ends may be suitable under cer-' tain conditions of employment. However, the strength of such damping means may prove inadequate under conditions of maximum stress.

In accordance with a French patent of addition, patent application No. 7,037,768, filed Oct. 20, 1970, and the corresponding US. Pat. application Ser. No. 188,057, filed Oct. 12, l97l, by C. Torrens, for Endless Type-Carrying Belt for On-The-Fly Printer," the means proposed for damping the vibrations of the struck tongues consists of individual blocks of viscoelastic material attached to a connecting strip.

However, with such a damping system, it could happen that some defects are not completely eliminated, due to the fact that an appreciable oscillatorymotion might still affect the type-carrying tongue whose type element has been struck.

Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art type-carrying belts. Thus, it is an object of the instant invention to eliminate more completely the disadvantages resulting from the vibration of the typecarrying tongues of a printing member of the kind described above, by utilizing members providing what may be termed damping by shock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Consequently, in accordance with the objects of the instant invention, a printing type-carrying member of the endless belt kind is provided, which is intended to be driven at constant velocity by two pulleys of a printer. Such belt has alongside one of its edges a plurality of flexible type-carrying tongues, wherein each tongue whose type element is struck by a print hammer is deflected in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of the endless belt. The invention is characterized in that the belt is associated with vibration arresting means adapted to permit the above-mentioned individual deflection of each tongue and then to halt the tongue and prevent it from passing beyond its normal non-deflected position during its elastic return movement.

According to a first embodiment, such arrest means comprises a plurality of slanting ties, each tie having one end attached to a corresponding tongue toward the free end thereof and the other end attached to a nondeforming part of the endless belt in a manner for the tie to be able to buckle in only one direction.

According to a second embodiment, the arrest means comprises a plurality of platelets, each being attached to two flexible outer belts in the gap between two adjacent tongues. The shape of each platelet is such as to permit the deflection of a struck tongue in only one direction.

According to a third embodiment, the arrest means comprises a metallic connecting band provided with a plurality of cutout and bent hooks, each hook being disposed in a manner to permit the deflection of an associated type-carrying tongue but to halt the tongue in its normal non-deflected position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a type-carrying member according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are detailed views of a portion of the type-carrying member of the embodiment of FIG. 1, FIG. 28 being a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is a detailed view of a variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 28;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are detailed views of a portion of the type-carrying member according to a second embodiment of the invention, FIG. 38 being a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 3A;

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are detailed views of a portion of thetype-carrying member according to a thirdembodiment of the invention, FIG. 48 being a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4C being a sectional view to larger scale taken along line CC of FIG. 4A; and

FIG. 4D is a detailed view of a variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 shows an endless type-carrying belt of known type, represented in the orientation in which it is mounted on two pulleys in a printer, the pulleys not being illustrated. However, the vertical axes of rotation 11 and 12 of such pulleys are shown. Belt 10 is provided with type-carrying tongues 13 along its entire upper edge. All of tongues 13 are identical and are spaced apart with a pitch P, for example of 3.9lmm. In the embodiment shown, belt 10 may be provided with several complete sets of different characters; for example, if eight sets of 48 different characters or symbols are provided, 384 tongues 13 are'required.

The lower portion, or body, 14 of the endless belt has at least one welded seam, such as seam 15. Belt 10 is provided with synchronization holes 16 toward its lower edge.

The raised printing type elements, such as type elements 17, appear on the external face of belt 10 because it is presumed that in front of the front portion of the belt are disposed an inking or carbon ribbon, a print-receiving member in the form of at least one wide web of paper, and a series of print hammers selectively actuable in known manner. As indicated in the abovementioned applications, the ends of type-carrying tongues 13 pass in front of and in Contact with a fixed platen or anvil, not shown, which is disposed along the length of the print line. The linear velocity of the belt may be, for example, 6m per second.

In the first embodiment of the invention there is provided a series of ties 18, which are shown to large scale in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Ties 18 are disposed on the inner face of belt 10, opposite to type elements 17. For each tongue 13 there is provided a tie 18, whose upper end is attached to the tongue toward the free end thereof; i.e., a few millimeters below the central axis 19 of type elements 17. The lower end of each tie 18 is attached to endless belt 10 in a region which is little affected by the deflection of the tongues. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, if the upper end of a tie 18 is attached to a particular tongue 13A, the lower end of the tie may be attached to the base of the fifth tongue away from tongue 13A in the direction opposite to arrow Fl; i.e., to tongue 13B. Arrow Fl indicates the direction of mo tion of type-carrying belt 10.

In the example shown in FIG. 2A, if the length of tongues 13 is 23mm to the level of axis 19, the angle A formed by ties 18 with the vertical axes of tongues 13 is approximately 55. In all cases, it is preferable that angle A be not less than 45. In order that ties 18 are distinctly separated, their width can be from 1.6 to 1.8mm. Ties 18 may be made of a high-strength steel and in this instance their thickness may be as small as 0.05mm, whereas the thickness of belt 10 typically is 0.15mm. The zones represented 'by'cross-hatching are those where the ties are attached, which may be by any process securing adhesion, such as electrical welding or cementing.

Ties 18 also may be fabricated from a fiberglass. In this case it is apparent that the high strength fibers must be parallel. to the length of the ties.

In FIG. 2A, the distance d represents the maximum deflection to which a tongue 13 is subjected, at the level of the central axis of type elements, precisely at the moment of termination of the impact of a print hammer while body 14 is moving in the direction of arrow F1. At this moment, because of its great flexibility, the corresponding tie 18 is deformed by buckling. As soon as the type element of such tongue is released by the print hammer, the tongue commences an oscillatory movement in its plane. However when the tongue again passes through its non-deflected position, the corresponding tie 18 becomes taut, and since the tie strongly resists tensile stresses it prevents any deflection of the oscillatory tongue 13 in the opposite direction, thereby arresting vibration of such tongue in the required time.

In the variation shown in FIG. 2C, a connecting band 20 is employed. Band 20 includes strips 21, which are partially cutout, for example by shearing, and form the same number of slanting ties. With this variation, it is preferable to employ for band 20 a web of fiberglass having oriented fibers, which is sufficiently wide so that the lower zone of attachment, shown cross-hatched, extends below tongues 13. The slope angle of strips 21 may be the same as that of ties 18 of FIG. 2A. The manner of operation and the efficacy of the variation of FIG. 2C are equivalent to those of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A.

In the second embodiment of the invention, FIGS. 3A and 3B, a platelet of special shape is provided in each of the gaps between adjacent type-carrying tongues 13. Moreover, two outer belts 24 and 25 are added, each on one of the faces of the type-carrying belt. The upper edges of belts 24 and 25 and of platelets 23 are situated a few millimeters below central axis 19 of the type elements. Belts 24 and 25 have a sufficient width that their lower edges may be attached to body 14 of the type-carrying belt. Each of platelets 23 is attached to the two outer belts 24 and 25 by cementing, welding, etc.

If the direction of motion of belt 10 is as indicated by the arrow F1, the left edge of each platelet 23 is in-' clined relative to its right edge, such right edge normally being in contact with the left edge of the tongue 13 next on the right. The inclination of the left edge of a platelet 23 is sufficient to permit the maximum deflection d of the tongue 13 next on the left when its type element is struck by a print hammer. When such tongue passes again through its normal non-deflected position, the right edge of the adjacent platelet 23 prevents continuation of the vibratory motion of the tongue. The thickness of platelets 23 may be equal to that of type-carrying belt 10, or even slightly greater, in order to assure the free deflection of type-carrying tongues 13.

According to a first variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B, platelets 23 and outer belts 24 and 25 may be made of a strong metal, such as steel, wherein the thickness of belts 24 and 25 may be less than that of type-carrying belt 10, which is typically 0.15mm. In this instance, the electrical welding spots may be arranged toward the lower edge of belts 24 and 25 in order to attach them to the body 14 of belt 10. According to a second variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B, platelets 23 are made of steel,-

whereas the material of belts 24 and 25 is an elastomer or a plastic material of suitable strength.

According to a third variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B, platelets 23 are made of an elastomer or a plastic material of sufficient hardness to withstand shocks, and the two outer belts 24 and 25 are of steel.

Finally, according to a fourth variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B, platelets 23, as well as belts 24 and 25, are made of an elastomer or of a plastic material of adequate hardness to withstand shocks. l-Ieretofore, for clarity of explanation, platelets 23 and belts 24 and 25 have been considered as separately fabricated pieces, but it is apparent that they can be formed as well of only a single piece obtained by molding. In this instance, to assemble the structure, the typecarrying tongues 13 must be inserted into the interstices between platelets 23, which insertion must be permitted by the elasticity of belts 24 and 25.

In the third embodiment of the invention, FIGS. 4A4D, a connecting band 27 is attached to the outer face of type-carrying belt i.e., on the same side as raised type elements 17. This attachment may be made by cementing or by electric welding spots, such as spots 28. A stop hook 29 is provided for each type-carrying tongue 13. Each hook 29 is cutout from band 27, which is of high-strength steel, and is bent back as shown in FIG. 4C. The height of each hook 29 is, for example, 3mm.

Considering that type-carrying belt 10 is viewed from externally, and that its direction of motion is as indicated by arrow F2, hooks 29 are spaced and disposed so that the right edge of a tongue 13 normally is in contact with the inner curve of the corresponding hook 29.. The twice-bent edge of hook 29 must be sufficiently long that at the time of the maximum deflection (towards the left in the drawing) of a tongue 13, the latter remains engaged in the corresponding hook 29.

Optionally, there also may be provided safety angle members 30 which are cutout from band 27 and bent once, as shown in FIG. 4C. Each angle member 30 is intended to prevent the amplitude of deflection of an associated tongue 13 from assuming a value substantially exceeding the amplitude of normal maximum deflection. Such excessive value can only occur rarely, for example in the case where the arresttime sustained by a struck-type element exceeds the maximum arrest time anticipated, or because of another unexpected occurrence. For example, if the maximum deflection of ya tongue 13, at the level of angle members 30, is 0.3mm, the bent edge of each angle member may be spaced 0.4mm from the left edge of the associated tongue 13 when the latter is in its normal position. It is sufficient that the height of the bent edge of an angle member 30 exceed slightly the thickness of belt 10.

Although, in FIG. 4A, hooks 29 and angle members 30 have been shown to be at the same height, angle members 30 may be separated from hooks 29 and disposed lower, thereby providing a greater freedom in selecting their respective dimensions.

Perforated holes 31 are provided in band 27, as shown in FIG. 4A. Holes 31 may be utilized in the operations of cutting and bending to provide for a step-bystep precision in the positioning of hooks 29 and optional angle members 30.

According to a variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, a connecting band 32 is attached to a type-carrying belt 10, a portion of such structure being 1 shown in FIG. 4D. Band 32 is analogous to connecting band 27, except that band 32 is provided on one edge thereof with notches 33, which define fingers 34. The stop hooks 29 of FIG. 4D are the same as those of FIG. 4A. The optional safety angle members 30 are shown disposed below hooks 29, thereby facilitating the tooling for cutting notches 33. According to the dimensions given to notches 33, a predetermined amount of elasticity can be provided fingers 34 so that they can be deformed in their plane. Thus, because of the abovementioned elasticity, the variation of FIG. 4 has been designed so that when a type-carrying tongue 13, having been deflected, passes again through its normal position, the resulting shock on the associated stop hook is less severe than in the embodiment of FIG. 4A.

We claim:

1. In a printing type-carrying member comprising an endless belt driven at a constant velocity on two pulleys of a printer, said belt being provided alongside one edge thereof with a plurality of flexible type-carrying tongues, wherein each tongue whose associated type element is struck by a print hammer is deflected momentarily in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of said belt the improvement comprising vibration arresting means in juxtaposition with said endless belt and including a plurality of slanting ties, the first end of each of said ties being attached to the movable portion of a first of said type-carrying tongues and the second end of each of said ties being attached to a second of said tongues toward the base of said second tongue, said second tongue being separated by several tongue spacings from said first tongue in the direction opposite to said direction of belt motion.

2. The type-carrying member of claim 1, wherein each of said ties comprises a strip of metal.

3. The type-carrying member of claim 1, wherein each of said ties comprises a strip of fiberglass.

4. The type-carrying member of claim 1, wherein said ties are part of a band of fiberglass, and wherein the said fiberglass band has its fibers parallel to partial slits separating adjacent ones of said ties.

5. In a printing type-carrying member comprising an endless belt driven at a constant velocity on two pulleys of a printer, said belt being provided alongside one edge thereof .with a plurality of flexible type-carrying tongues wherein each tongue whose associated type element is struck by a print hammer is deflected momentarily in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of said belt, the improvement comprising vibration arresting means in juxtaposition with said endless belt and including a plurality of platelets attached between two outer belts, said outer belts being attached to the opposite faces of said endless belt, each of said platelets being held in the gap between adjacent ones of said tongues and having one edge formed having a portion in spaced relation with the first adjacent tongue to permit deflection thereof and the opposite edge having a portion formed in contact with the second adjacent tongue to prevent deflection of the second adjacent tongue in the direction of the said respective platelet.

6. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets and said outer belts are made of a metal, and wherein the thickness of said outer belts is no greater than that of said type-carrying belt.

7. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets are made of a metal and are bonded between said two outer belts, said outer belts being made of an elastomer.

8. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets are made of a plastic material or an elastomer and are bonded between said two outer belts, said outer belts being metallic and having a thickness no greater than that of said type-carrying belt.

9. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets form a single entity with said two outer belts, said platelets and said belts being made of an elastomer.

10. In a printing type-carrying member comprising an endless belt driven at a constant velocity on two pulleys of a printer, said belt being provided alongside one edge thereof with a plurality of flexible type-carrying tongues, wherein each tongue whose associated type element is struck by a print hammer is deflected momentarily in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of said belt, the improvement comprising vibration arresting means in juxtaposition with said endless belt and including a metallic band attached to said typecarrying belt on the same side thereof as the type elements, said band being provided with a plurality of cutout and bent hooks, each of said hooks being disposed in contact with one edge only of an associated tongue to permit deflection of the tongue in the direction opposite said hook and to halt the return motion of said tongue in its normal non-deflected position in contact with said hook.

11. The type-carrying member of claim 10, wherein said band is further provided with a plurality of cutout safety angle members, each of said angle members being bent adjacent an associated tongue and disposed in spaced relation therewith to limit the amplitude of deflection of an associated one of said tongues in the direction opposite said hook.

12. The type-carrying member of claim 10, wherein said band is provided on one edge thereof with a plurality of notches whose form is substantially similar to the form of the gaps separating adjacent type-carrying tongues.

13. The type-carrying member of claim 11, wherein said band is provided on one edge thereof with a plurality of notches whose form is substantially similar to the form of the gaps separating adjacent type-carrying tongues. 

1. In a printing type-carrying member comprising an endless belt driven at a constant velocity on two pulleys of a printer, said belt being provided alongside one edge thereof with a plurality of flexible type-carrying tongues, wherein each tongue whose associated type element is struck by a print hammer is deflected momentarily in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of said belt the improvement comprising vibration arresting means in juxtaposition with said endless belt and including a plurality of slanting ties, the first end of each of said ties being attached to the movable portion of a first of said type-carrying tongues and the second end of each of said ties being attached to a second of said tongues toward the base of said second tongue, said second tongue being separated by several tongue spacings from said first tongue in the direction opposite to said direction of belt motion.
 2. The type-carrying member of claim 1, wherein each of said ties comprises a strip of metal.
 3. The type-carrying member of claim 1, wherein each of said ties comprises a strip of fiberglass.
 4. The type-carrying member of claim 1, wherein said ties are part of a band of fiberglass, and wherein the said fiberglass band has its fibers parallel to partial slits separating adjacent ones of said ties.
 5. In a printing type-carrying member comprising an endless belt driven at a constant velocity on two pulleys of a printer, said belt being provided alongside one edge thereof with a plurality of flexible type-carrying tongues wherein each tongue whose associated type element is struck by a print hammer is deflected momentarily in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of said belt, the improvement comprising vibration arresting means in juxtaposition with said endless belt and including a plurality of platelets attached between two outer belts, said outer belts being attached to the opposite faces of said endless belt, each of said platelets being held in the gap between adjacent ones of said tongues and having one edge formed having a portion in spaced relation with the first adjacent tongue to permit deflection thereof and the opposite edge having a portion formed in contact with the second adjacent tongue to prevent deflection of the second adjacent tongue in the direction of the said respective platelet.
 6. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets and said outer belts are made of a metal, and wherein the thickness of said outer belts is no greater than that of said type-carrying belt.
 7. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets are made of a metal and are bonded between said two outer belts, said outer belts being made of an elastomer.
 8. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets are made of a plastic material or an elastomer and are bonded between said two outer belts, said outer belts being metallic and having a thickness no greater than that of said type-carrying belt.
 9. The type-carrying member of claim 5, wherein said platelets form a single entity with said two outer belts, said platelets and said belts being made of an elastomer.
 10. In a printing type-carrying member comprising an endless belt driven at a constant velocity on two pulleys of a printer, said belt being provided alongside one edge thereof with a plurality of flexible type-carrying tongues, wherein each tongue whose associated type element is struck by a print hammer is deflected momentarily in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of said belt, the improvement comprising vibration arresting means in juxtaposition with said endless belt and including a metallic band attached to said type-carrying belt on the same side thereof as the type elements, said band being provided with a plurality of cutout and bent hooks, each of said hooks being disposed in contact with one edge only of an associated tongue to permit deflection of the tongue in the direction opposite said hook and to halt the return motion of said tongue in its normal non-deflected position in contact with said hook.
 11. The type-carrying member of claim 10, wherein said band is further provided with a plurality of cutout safety angle members, each of said angle members being bent adjacent an associated tongue and disposed in spaced relation therewith to limit the amplitude of deflection of an associated one of said tongues in the direction opposite said hook.
 12. The type-carrying member of claim 10, wherein said band is provided on one edge thereof with a plurality of notches whose form is substantially similar to the form of the gaps separating adjacent type-carrYing tongues.
 13. The type-carrying member of claim 11, wherein said band is provided on one edge thereof with a plurality of notches whose form is substantially similar to the form of the gaps separating adjacent type-carrying tongues. 